It is well established that there are major public health benefits from early detection and treatment of disease of internal organs such as the alimentary and excretory canals and airways, including the colon, esophagus, stomach, urethra, bladder, kidney, lungs, bronchi, uterus, heart, and other organ systems. Early detection of such diseases can be accomplished by periodic medical examinations aided by modern medical procedures and devices, such as catheters and endoscopes.
Some such procedures are performed with the aid of known steerable medical devices. Known steerable endoscopes and/or catheters are used in, for example, cardiovascular and electrophysiology applications. One known steerable catheter has an elongated catheter body with a distal tip portion that can be deflected into a semi-circle in one direction.